Hinged conveyer belt



Oct. 20, 1931. F N WOODMAN 1,828,304

HINGED CONVEYER BELT Filed March 8. 1930 M my@ MMYJM Patented Oct. 20, 193'1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS N. WOODM'AN, 0F CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO WICKWIBF SPENCER STEEL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A l(10tPOIhAJI'ION' 0F DELAWARE HINGEI) CONVEYER BELT Application led Iarch 8,

This invention relates to a wire conveyer belt adapted for general use but particularly adapted to conveying tobacco or other similar products. A woven single thickness fabric is found preferable for such purposes, as

Ya spiral or double thickness fabric affords in which a considerable amount of the material on the conveyer will become lodged.

A square mesh woven wire fabric has been used for such purposes, but when made in long strips, it is found difficult to retain such a belt in the desired shape. Efforts have been made to stiften such belts by coating the same with tin or spelter, but such coatings quickly wear thin, after which the belt soon becomes distorted.

If made of heavier wire and closer Weave, the square mesh belt made in long strips becomes stiff and unyielding. It is found, however, that a belt made of square mesh fabric used in successive and relatively short sections, hinged together, is most satisfactory for the purpose intended.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved construction in such a wire conveyer belt by which sections of square mesh fabric of the usual weave construction may be conveniently hinged together to form an endless conveyer belt.

A further object is to provide a hinged construction by which the openings through the belt at the hinge points may be maintained substantially of the same size as the meshes of the woven fabric,

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinationsof parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention 1s shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a planview of a portion of my improved conveyer belt;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a plan View of a slightly modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, I have indicated a conveyer belt compr1sing sections 10 of ordinary square mesh woven wire fabric having the usual selvage portions 11. This 1930. Serial No. 434,392.

woven fabric is made from relatively hea wire and is essentially of a stiff and unyiel ing construction, but this stiffness of the woven fabric is not objectionable, as the fabric is used only in short sections and flexibility of the belt is attained by the hinged connections between adjacent belt sections.

For the purposes of such hinged connections, I provide a plurality of s iral Wire members 15, 16 and 17 between eac two successive belt sections. The wire member 15 is interlaced with the selvage of one of the belt sections lO and the Wire member 16 is interlaced with the adjacent selvage of the next successive belt section 10.

The Wire member 17 is then interlaced with the members 15 and 16, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of the members 15, 16 and 17 may be bent over to prevent transverse displacement thereof.

Free hinge movement is attained by the relative movement between the members 15 and 16 and the member 17, and also between the members 15 and 16 and the salvage portions 11.

An extremely flexible joint is thus rovided between adjacent belt sections. the

use of a plurality of spiral members co` ed to a relatively small diameter, the thiclmess of the belt at the hinge joints is kept at a, minimum and furthermore, the meshes formed by interlacing the spiral members are substantially of the same cross sectional 'area as the meshes of the woven fabric itself. Consequently material adapted to be supported by the woven fabric is also effectively supported by the spiral hinge portions.

The spiral members, after being inserted between the belt sections, are preferably fiattened to reduce the thickness of the belt at the ljoints, as indicated in Fig. 2.

While I have indicated the use of three spiral members to form each hinge 'oint, it will be evident that the number o spiral members may be increased or decreased as found desirable.

In Fig. 3 I have indicated a modified construction of hinge joint in which belt sections 2O provided with selvages 21 are connected by spiral members 22 and 23 and a hinge pin 24. The spiral members 22 and 23 are interlaced with the adjacent selvages, as in the construction previously described, but are preferably wound to opposite hands so I' that siiliccesive belt sectonlrrcill not be repeate osetina' e tion.

In this construction, ie hinge action takes place about the axis of the pin 24, as well as between the spiral members 22 and 23 and 10 the selvages 21.

With either form of my improvedlconstruction, a very simple, economical and ef- 'y fective hinge connection is made between successive sections of square mesh woven wire 16 fabric and the fabric can be woven in any ordinary wire loom without special selvages or other special characteristics. Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be I0 limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A wire conve er belt comprising sections of square mesli7 wire fabric having edge 26 portions extending in ad'acent positions transversely of the belt an separate transverse s iral wire members interlaced weilth said a jacent edge portions, respectiv y, said s iral wire members be hingedl con- 80 nec whereby a plurality o axes of ge movement is provided.

2. A wire conve er belt com rising sections of square meslyi' wire fabric aving edge portions extendin in adjacent positions 85 transversely of the elt, a separate transverse spiral wire member interlaced with each adjacent edge portion, and a third spiral wire member connecting said first-named spiral members, said spiral members formin a con- 40 nection having a plurality of axes o? hinge movement.

3. A wire conveyer belt comErising sections of square mesh wire fabric aving edge portions extending in adjacent positions s transversely of the belt, and a plurality of spiral wire members formin a transverse hinged connection between a jacent woven belt sections, the openings through said spiral hingd connection being substantially of as y sma cross section as the openings in the woven fabric.

4. A wire conve er belt com rising sections of square m wire fabric aving edge portions extending in adjacent positions 55 transversely of the belt, a transverse spiral wire member interlaced with each adjacent edge portion, said spirals being of right and left hand twist respectively, and a hinge pin extending through and connecting said spiral to members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FRANCIS N. WOODMAN. 

